Harnesses or carrying straps have long been used by people and animals for carrying heavy and/or awkwardly shaped objects. But only in recent time has serious attention been directed to the importance of designing straps or harnesses that are comfortable to the wearer when carrying heavy loads over rough terrain for long distances. Solutions to this problem are complicated because even poorly designed harnesses are not uncomfortable when the load being carried is light or the distance to be covered is small. It is only when the harness must be used to carry heavy loads over rough terrain for long distances, that the harness or poorly designed components attached to the harness can cause problems and discomfort. Consequently, even tiny metal components such as irregularly shaped metal spring clips could cause skin irritation when rubbing against an animal or a person's body for a prolonged period of time. Moreover, when the harness is used on an animal, skin abrasions may not be noticed until the animal is injured.
One of the reasons prior harnesses or carrying straps were uncomfortable was that they were made from leather or some other inelastic fabric webbing. With this structure, repeated shocks when carrying loads over a rough terrain, were transmitted directly to the body of the person carrying the load, which became increasingly painful.
If the harness were formed from some other material, such as neoprene foam, the harness would be more comfortable because the neoprene straps being elastic and soft would function as a shock absorber and distribute shocks caused by the load more uniformly to other parts of the body. However, straps formed from neoprene or similar materials have limited strength, and to overcome this limitation, means must be provided to strengthen them without at the same time destroying their function as a shock absorber. Therefore, one of the objects of this invention is to provide a harness or carrying strap made from a material such as a neoprene foam, but modifying it so that the strap is strong enough to bear heavy loads without tearing and without impairing its softness or its function as a shock absorber.
Connectors are attached to harnesses formed from leather or some fabric webbing so that the harness can be attached to the object being carried, as exemplified by the patents to: Harrow U.S. Pat. No. 4,461,411; Parlente U.S. Pat. No. 3,352,467; Cookman U.S. Pat. No. 2,564,464; Brewer U.S. Pat. No. 4,168,022; Lyer U.S. Pat. No. 4,320,863; Brewer U.S. Pat. No. 4,058,242; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,884,403. In these examples, the strap is attached to a connecting ring by looping the end of the strap through the connecting ring and then sewing the ends of the strap together to form a loop which is interlocked with the connecting ring. But this arrangement is not practical if the harness strap is formed from neoprene foam or some material with similar physical characteristics because a loop formed from a neoprene strap would not be strong enough to withstand the shocks caused when a person or animal using the harness strap walks or climbs over a rough terrain carrying a heavy load. Alternatively, when the harness or carrying strap is formed from leather, a separate leather strap is looped through the connecting ring or loop and this strap is attached permanently or releasably by means of a buckle to the main leather strap. The tongue of the buckle extends through a hole formed in the leather strap in a manner well known in the Art. But this arrangement is not practical if the harness is formed from a material such as neoprene foam. The reason is a tongue receiving hole formed in the neoprene strap to receive the tongue of the buckle, would soon elongate and tear when the harness is subjected to heavy loads.
Another way to attach a connector to a strap is disclosed in the patent to Crapsey U.S. Pat. No. 2,521,903 wherein the end of the strap has a rivet receiving hole formed in it. A V-shaped spring connector is provided with a rivet on one wall and a rivet receiving hole on the other wall. The end of the strap is inserted between the walls of the connector and the walls of the connector until the tongue on one wall extends through the rivet receiving hole in the strap and through the other wall of the connector. Then a keeper or sleeve is slid over the spring connector to hold the walls of the connector together with the strap locked to the connector. But this arrangement is unsuitable for straps or harnesses formed from neoprene foam because, as described above, forces exerted on the strap pulling it away from the connector, would soon elongate the tongue receiving hole in the strap causing the strap to tear.
In addition to a connecting ring or loop attached to a harness strap, a releaseable connector of some sort is required for attachment both to the connecting ring or loop and to the object bearing carried. Heretofore, as exemplified by the patents to Harrow U.S. Pat. No. 4,461,411, 3,884,403, and Brewer U.S. Pat. No. 4,058,242, metal releaseable spring clip or connector was used for this purpose. However, in addition to being somewhat expensive, metal connectors like these had irregular and lumpy shapes which could press against the body of the person or animal using the harness to carry loads and eventually irritate the skin.
If both the metal spring connector and the connecting ring or loop described above could be replaced by a releaseable connecting device which has a flat resilient body contacting surface that can lie flat against the body of an animal or person using the harness to carry heavy loads, the discomfort caused by the present metal spring connectors could be avoided.
A connecting device employing a grommet and a nipple, as exemplified by the patents to Ade U.S. Pat. No. 1,341,406, Martin U.S. Pat. No. 1,368,818, and Adams U.S. Pat. No. 3,427,693 provide an alternative to the irregularly shaped metal spring connector. But these devices were not suitable for use in a harness carrying heavy loads and/or expensive equipment, because there was no convenient and safe way to lock the nipple in the grommet. If such a connecting device were used in a harness carrying heavy loads or expensive equipment, shocks and vibration caused when the person walks or climbs over rough terrain could cause the nipple to separate from the grommet permitting the load or equipment to fall off the harness or carrying strap.
What is needed therefore and compromises another important object of this invention, it to provide a connector which can make a strong connection to the ends of a harness strap formed from a neoprene foam or some similar material and which has a flat body engaging surface to increase the comfort of the person or animal using the harness.
Yet a further object of this invention is to provide a releaseable attaching device for a harness which has flat body engaging surfaces, so contact between these body engaging surfaces and the body of the person or animal using the harness does not cause discomfort. Yet another object of this invention is to provide a carrying strap for a harness which is made from a soft resilient material which can carry heavy loads without tearing.
Still a further object of this invention is to provide a connector employing a nipple and grommet in such a way that the nipple and grommet can be locked together and will not separate when subjected to shock and vibration.